(SportsMax) Batting inconsistency is something that has plagued the Jamaica Scorpions in the four-day format for a number of seasons and this current season has followed the same trend. Three rounds into the 2025 season, the Scorpions currently find themselves fifth on the points table with 32.6 points with most of those coming from their round one 178-run demolition of the Windward Islands Volcanoes at Arnos Vale in Kingstown from January 29-February 1.
In that game, the Scorpions made scores of 337 and 277-7 declared while restricting the Volcanoes to 195 and 241.
They also crossed the 300-run mark in the first innings of their second-round encounter against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, making 320.
The second innings saw them fall well short, however, posting only 170 before succumbing to a five-wicket defeat.
The batting also fell short in their third-round loss to the Barbados Pride at the Kensington Oval, making scores of 231 and 180 in their two innings as the Pride sprinted to a nine-wicket victory inside three days. Speaking during a media interaction on Monday, captain John Campbell puts the inconsistency of the Scorpions bating down to inexperience.
“I think it’s been a pretty up and down start for us as a team,” he said.
“I’d say that, outside of (Jermaine) Blackwood and myself, we’re very inexperienced so that plays a big factor at this level. We’re going up against guys with a lot of experience at this level,” Campbell added.
He has a point. When you look at the bulk of Jamaica’s top order over the first three rounds outside of Campbell and Blackwood, Kirk McKenzie has the most First-Class experience with just 28 matches under his belt.
Campbell’s opening partner in the first three rounds, Carlos Brown, has played 11 matches while Javelle Glenn and Brad Barnes have played two and four matches, respectively.
Nevertheless, the aggressive left-handed opener is happy with what his team has shown with the bat early and believes, with time, they will improve.
“Other than the last game, I think we’ve been pretty decent with the bat. Against Leewards, as well, we scored over 300 in the first innings. I think we’ll get better as the competition goes on,” he said. Playing four-day cricket for the first time since 2022, Campbell has led from the front so far this season for the Scorpions.
His 299 runs rank him third on the leading run scorers list behind Trinidad & Tobago’s Jason Mohammed (483) and Barbados’ Jonathan Drakes (373).
He has made those runs at a strike rate of 71.02 and has hit one hundred and two fifties. The 31-year-old scored 126 and 53 against the Leewards and will be hoping to continue his good form when the Scorpions host the Guyana Harpy Eagles at Sabina Park in round four from March 5-8.
